Hip openers and the emotional connection
Hip opening yoga poses and yoga sequences
We have been going online with our yoga classes. I coincided with the full moon. So last weeks yoga sessions were all about the lunar flow. We often think about the moon having a connection with the water – and with intense emotions.
This connection with the fullness of the moon, emotions and watery element is what we explored in the sessions.
Energetically when we talk about the Chakra we associate the Sacral Chakra, or Swadisthana Chakra, with the water element. The Sacral Chakra is associated with the pelvis – so the sacrum.
The Water element, Swadisthana Chakra and our emotions
Water is about emotions. Flow and feelings. Sometimes the river flows fast, sometimes slow and peaceful. Other times it’s erratic or perhaps it gets stuck. Just like our feelings.
The Sacral Chakra is associated with our sensuality, sexuality, creativity, our sense of self and our true expression. Its how we express this true essence of us. Our truth.
But it’s not easy to express our Truth when we are brought up in a certain way. Through our culture, family, religion, government, the systems of “how we are supposed” to behave. We start to make adjustments.
The emotions of being angry might have been abolished as “nice girls don’t make a fuss”. Or perhaps you were told that sex is dirty and shameful. That you are wasting time being creative and need a real job. Or boys have to toughen up. That your emotions are not valid.
Not to mention the trauma from assaults – physical or verbal.
We block the Sacral Chakra to not feel or to forget. Or perhaps we overcompensate. We need to create a balance for us.
The emotional and the physical connection through our pelvis and hips
When we sense danger, get frightened, anxious or afraid the fight/flight/freeze response is activated. And any of these responses are connected physically to our pelvis. The Psoas muscle, the pelvic floor, our glutes/buttocks, hip flexors and addductors respond to either run away from a dangerous situation, or to fight the danger or to collapse and freeze.
It’s easy to feel. You get a shock. LIterally someone saying BOOO and your pelvic floor tenses. Or what about the underlying tension or stress of life/work/family or certainly this current situation (Covid 19 in case you are reading this at a later time).
This tension can get permanent. A constant tightness and tension.
So we get tight hips. Perhaps this leads to pelvic floor pain or incontinence. Or maybe digestive issues. We can breathe properly if we have a tight pelvic floor – it’s all connected.
And with the emotions stuck in our body it stays stuck.
That’s why you may experience a very emotional response when you move your body with awareness and intention. That you may cry, smile, get angry, laugh…
The body, mind and breath are connected.
These yoga sessions were recorded live online around the full moon. All have the focus to breathe, connect with the pelvis and simply being.
You can watch them on youtube here. Or find them on Facebook.
This is part of my continuing yoga teaching during the time of no in-person classes. Should you wish to donate towards your class donations are gratefully accepted via Paypal on either of these links:
https://yogaembodiedonline.com/hello/
Finally you may want to enjoy this breathing meditation recorded on the beach.